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Puff The Magic Dragon Wrote:

Quote:That's fine, but on the SAT, the race choices are:

1) African-American
2) White

Why not Caucasian? Why not black?

Who cares? Did you know which one to choose?

when i was in college under race they always had the option to choose 'OTHER__________' I would always check the other box and fill in HUMAN on the provided line.

draak ijveraar Wrote:

Puff The Magic Dragon Wrote:

Quote:That's fine, but on the SAT, the race choices are:

1) African-American
2) White

Why not Caucasian? Why not black?

Who cares? Did you know which one to choose?

when i was in college under race they always had the option to choose 'OTHER__________' I would always check the other box and fill in HUMAN on the provided line.

Nice :)

Sax,

Here is my honest opinon reguarding your question, which has nothing to do with your original topic.

They probably put "white" instead of "caucasion" because there is a lot of dumb people who might not know that caucasion means white. Everyone understands "white". The reason why they put "african-american" is because a large majority of people who happen to be black don't like being called black - they prefer the word African-American. Do you know any black people who object to be classified as African-American?

What is so wrong with that? I don't like it when somebody calls UAB, Alabama-Birmingham. Regardless of which ever classification they use, my bet is that whoever is filling out the application gets it correct unlike the difference between "white" and/or "caucasion".

Puff The Magic Dragon Wrote:Sax,

Here is my honest opinon reguarding your question, which has nothing to do with your original topic.

They probably put "white" instead of "caucasion" because there is a lot of dumb people who might not know that caucasion means white. Everyone understands "white". The reason why they put "african-american" is because a large majority of people who happen to be black don't like being called black - they prefer the word African-American. Do you know any black people who object to be classified as African-American?

What is so wrong with that? I don't like it when somebody calls UAB, Alabama-Birmingham. Regardless of which ever classification they use, my bet is that whoever is filling out the application gets it correct unlike the difference between "white" and/or "caucasion".

Okay.

What if John Doe doesn't like being called "white?" He prefers European-American.

BlazerSax, do you know anyone that prefers to be called Europeon Americans instead of white?

If you don't, then where are you going with this astounding series of posts. What is your point? What EXACTLY are you trying to say?

Puff The Magic Dragon Wrote:BlazerSax, do you know anyone that prefers to be called Europeon Americans instead of white?

If you don't, then where are you going with this astounding series of posts.  What is your point?  What EXACTLY are you trying to say?

If blacks preferred to be called African-American, then I prefer for white people to be called Caucasians or European-Americans.

We can't have 50% PC...100% or nothing.

PERSONALLY, though, I'd rather the whole system stay "white" and "black." I never refer to a black person as African-American. It's just stupid.

I prefer to be called "Mutt-American".

Sarahbelle18 Wrote:I prefer to be called "Mutt-American".

I always knew you were a diggity dog

BlazerSax Wrote:

Puff The Magic Dragon Wrote:BlazerSax, do you know anyone that prefers to be called Europeon Americans instead of white?

If you don't, then where are you going with this astounding series of posts.  What is your point?  What EXACTLY are you trying to say?

If blacks preferred to be called African-American, then I prefer for white people to be called Caucasians or European-Americans.

We can't have 50% PC...100% or nothing.

PERSONALLY, though, I'd rather the whole system stay "white" and "black." I never refer to a black person as African-American. It's just stupid.

It has nothing to do with political correctness. It is simply respect. Calling someone by the name they prefer to be called is nothing but having respect for them.

Since you don't seem to have a clue as to what we are trying to get across to you, don't bother responding. When Blazr4life called you out for saying that black people are not american, you agreed with him, even though he was correcting you in the first place.

If you personally wish to be called a European American, I'm sure everyone one on the board will comply with your wishes. But you don't have the authority to dictate what the rest of us white people are called.

I would actually think it would be better if you were classified "Ignorant-American" :D

Memphis Blazer Wrote:When Blazr4life called you out for saying that black people are not american, you agreed with him, even though he was correcting you in the first place.

No he wasn't. I understood that all along, and when he pointed it out, I concurred with him.

Who is going to go around and ask every black person whether they prefer "black" or "African-American?"

Are you?

I just don't get how you can't see the political incorrectness of this whole situation.

BlazerSax Wrote:

Memphis Blazer Wrote:When Blazr4life called you out for saying that black people are not american, you agreed with him, even though he was correcting you in the first place.

No he wasn't. I understood that all along, and when he pointed it out, I concurred with him.

Who is going to go around and ask every black person whether they prefer "black" or "African-American?"

Are you?

I just don't get how you can't see the political incorrectness of this whole situation.

Sax, do you think African Americans should still be called the "N" word? Probably not.

Why?

Because it is insensitive? Because they don't like being called that?

So is it being politically correct to not call them that?

Memphis Blazer Wrote:

BlazerSax Wrote:

Memphis Blazer Wrote:When Blazr4life called you out for saying that black people are not american, you agreed with him, even though he was correcting you in the first place.

No he wasn't. I understood that all along, and when he pointed it out, I concurred with him.

Who is going to go around and ask every black person whether they prefer "black" or "African-American?"

Are you?

I just don't get how you can't see the political incorrectness of this whole situation.

Sax, do you think African Americans should still be called the "N" word? Probably not.

Why?

Because it is insensitive? Because they don't like being called that?

So is it being politically correct to not call them that?

You're just not seeing my logic over the Internet. I could explain it better in person :wave:

I think I'm gonna go with Sax on this one.

If we are truly aimed at a color-blind society, why continue hammering racial designations? I don't refer to anyone as white, black, red, yellow, or anything else unless it is relevant to the discussion at hand.

I would never deliberately insult someone's ethnic heritage, but patronizing them with labels that may or not be appreciated or even accurate is also insulting.

I'm crazy enough to believe that each contributing culture develops a richly textured, uniquely "American" culture.

Sarahbelle is right. We are a bunch of mutts. And, generally, mutts are healthier, and happier that the pure-breds. Just ask a Doberman owneer, or a member of the French monarchy.

why is it you never see any people freaking out like this when people refer to themselves as Irish American or Italian American?

even if there were no discrimination of any sort there would still be a need to have peoples ethinic back round classified.

draak ijveraar Wrote:even if there were no discrimination of any sort there would still be a need to have peoples ethinic back round classified.

Exactly what need is that?

I am American by birth and Scotch/Irish by descent.

Call me a Scotch-Irish/American and I'll laugh.

Why? Because I don't know what that means!

I was born in Alabama like my father, and his father, and have never even visited Ireland or Scotland (although I'l like to.)

Further, I have a lot more in common with the guy down the block, regardless of his skin tone, that I do with anyone in Ireland or Scotland. I dare say that the "African-American" down the block has more in common with me than he does the average African.

The color of my skin has to be the least important thing I'd like people to know about me. I'm neither proud or ashamed of it. It's just something I was born with and have to live with, like being short and left-handed.

i agree w/ smaug. these labels do nothing but perpetuate discrimination. i dont agree w/ the black student association, but i do agree w/ the indian cultural association. the difference is that one group promotes their indian culture, whereas the other doesnt because there is no "black" heretige. if it were the african cultural association, the i'd be fine w/ it. right now its just a group that separates blacks from the rest of the student population.

We better dropped this topic before it gets too ugly. It is teetering on a very charged argument that is going to insult and offend.

Memphis Blazer Wrote:We better dropped this topic before it gets too ugly. It is teetering on a very charged argument that is going to insult and offend.

I don't know.

I was enjoying the give and take.

We may just have to file this under "agree to disagree." but I thought this was a thought provoking discussion.

dfarr Wrote:i agree w/ smaug.  these labels do nothing but perpetuate discrimination.  i dont agree w/ the black student association, but i do agree w/ the indian cultural association.  the difference is that one group promotes their indian culture, whereas the other doesnt because there is no "black" heretige.  if it were the african cultural association, the i'd be fine w/ it.  right now its just a group that separates blacks from the rest of the student population.

I agree. I've been to several UAB NAACP meetings and a lot of the discussion is about "Blacks vs. Everyone Else"

However, the existence or non-existence of a "black" culture is debatable, but I think most would agree there isn't really a way to "celebrate" black culture as one might celebrate traditional Indian or Jewish culture.

However, again, while there may or may not be a "black" "American" culture, there is most certainly a continental African culture to be celebrated.